Subject to Change
by rembrandt
Summary: Post HBP, the atmosphere at Hogwarts has changed drastically since the death of Dumbledore. It is a time when unification is dire and alliances are formed between the most unlikely students. One shot


Hello! This is just another one shot...with the possibility of more one shots to follow it if I feel inspired to write them. It's really about what Ginny and the others (specifically Luna and Neville, though he does not star in this fic) stuck at Hogwarts are going to do since it is against their nature to just sit back and watch the show. Also, I believe that the Sorting Hat insisted on unificationbetween the housesfor a reason. There have to be a few Slytherins that aren't on Voldemort's side. And I refuse to believe that Draco is one of the followers. :)

Thanks! Please review!

**Subject to Change**

----------------

21 days. 21 days ago, she had found herself on the train back to Hogwarts. Ginny had hoped that nothing had changed like it did at home—if one could call the Burrow her home anymore. She hadn't really lived there since before her third year. It was now her sixth. She had been wrong about Hogwarts, of course, like so many other things in her life.

Ginny sat down at the table furthest away from the library doors and surveyed her surroundings. This time last year the library had flourished with students busy trying to stay ahead of their classes. This time last year, Hermione would have accompanied Ginny keeping the red head on track when her surroundings distracted her. Ginny had always been an observer. Hermione pointed out to Ginny one day that she had an uncanny ability to always find out information—always in the right place at the right time. Hermione didn't know this, but Ginny had agreed with her the moment she overheard Harry explaining the horcruxes to Hermione and Ron. He, of course, kept this bit from Ginny even when they were dating.

In her career meeting, Ginny asked about the Department of Mysteries. She had been curious about the department ever since she had visited it the year before during the search for Sirius. McGonagall explained that the Department of Mysteries required certain skills, such as the ability to research tedious subjects, high NEWT scores (in potions, charms, defense, transfiguration, and herbology) observational skills, keeping confidential about his or her work, and if asked, to become invisible.

"Story of my life." Ginny had joked in a slightly bleak tone.

And she did have the ability to be invisible. For two years at Hogwarts, she had remained invisible…always there, but never seen. It wasn't until Neville had asked her to the Yule Ball (albeit, she had been his second choice, but he had asked her nonetheless) that Ginny had actually taken shape and had become _someone_ to Hogwarts.

"Hello, Ginny," A fellow redhead smiled at her as she walked by Ginny's table. Ginny believed she was a third year Ravenclaw, but she didn't know for sure.

Despite this detail, Ginny smiled at the girl and waved hoping that it was a satisfactory greeting.

This time last year, she had chosen to strive for a career in the Department of Mysteries. She chose Tracker as a second choice if the Department of Mysteries job turned out to be different than she expected (the bad sort of different, of course). Ginny had not heard _much _about Trackers, nor did she personally know anyone who was one. The only thing she knew was that a Tracker was a branch of Auror, _specialized_ in tracking the person or object rather than just going on the raids or being a, to some extent, soldier for the Ministry. Tracker was like someone in the Muggle FBI or CIA, as Hermione had explained to her the year before. She liked to call the group Hunters. She liked the idea of being a Huntress—a far cry from damsel in distress.

"Hello, Ginny," Ginny looked up to see the face of Dean Thomas. He had changed considerably since they had dated. Ginny wasn't saying that she was _the_ catalyst to this change, but he was not the same guy. Dean was a fun bloke, polite, outgoing and always having a good time. This year, however, he seemed subdued. More somber, more serious. When Ginny had confronted him with this on the second day of school, he merely shrugged and replied, "I love life. I really do, but it's hard to always be happy when the world around you is collapsing."

She had always loved Dean's way of expressing himself. He just wasn't the guy for her. That boy happened to be running around England finding pieces of Voldemort's soul.

"How are you, Dean?" Ginny replied patting the table indicating that he should sit down, which Dean complied readily.

"Can you believe it? I already have three essays to write _and_ a semester long project for Potions to work on. It's only the third week of school!" Dean buried his face in his hands and shook his head.

"Well, they aren't going to give us a break just because there is a war going on. In fact, I think McGonagall has given us more work to do _because_ of Voldemort. I have a feeling she wants us to be prepared to fight even though we're still in school." Ginny glanced around the room.

The library remained empty; only five others sat sporadically throughout the room. No, Hogwarts had changed just like home had. The place where she had once found comfort brought a sense of emptiness, _loneliness_. Fear had struck the parents of her schoolmates. A few of Ginny's close friends had written explaining their lack of attendance: with Dumbledore gone, Hogwarts was no longer a safe haven for underage wizards and witches. Her own mother had considered the option of keeping Ginny at Headquarters…Ginny had actually looked forward to staying at Headquarters. Information was more likely to find her if she stayed near the Order; this thought must have occurred to her mother because a week before September 1st, they made their way to Diagon Alley to get supplies for the year.

"You've noticed, haven't you?" Dean observed her scan of the room. "Everything's changed. I wonder if it was like this the first time around."

"I suppose it was similar," Ginny turned her attention back to Dean, "How is Seamus?"

"Seamus is dealing. His mum wasn't too happy that he returned to school. He swears she was threatening incarceration. I asked him why he didn't stay the other day considering the fact that attacks are becoming more frequent, and he said that he would rather remember loving her than going insane living with her." Dean cracked a smile. "Only Seamus could say that and not feel the slightest bit guilty."

"I know the feeling. My mum went spare when she found out Ron had left with Hermione and Harry, and she took it out on me," Ginny sifted through _Gardening with Gertrude_ skimming the pages for anything she might need for her Herbology essay.

Though no one knew the cause of The Golden Trio's disappearance save Ginny, Luna and Neville, it was hard not to notice their absence on the first day of school. Rumors had spread throughout the school—some close to the truth, others completely ridiculous, her favorite being the one about the three of them running off to Central America to launch their salsa dancing careers.

"Have you heard from them, then?"

Ginny shifted in her seat. "Not for a while. Hermione writes every once in a while. I think they are keeping in contact with Professor Lupin, but now that I'm at school, it's harder to keep my mail from being intercepted."

"Do you miss them?" She knew by the way his jaw clenched that Dean really meant _him_ but he would never openly speak of her relationship with Harry. The subject was still sensitive to him.

Ginny started to draw little circles on her parchment as she spoke, "Sometimes I miss them terribly. Other days I am too angry with them for leaving me behind to be sad. Then days like today, I realize that what they are doing is more important than I am. What they are doing is not my fight, and I have to accept that."

"I'm glad you're here, Gin."

Ginny smiled at him then looked down at her doodles. "Don't you wish we could do more?"

"Everyday," Dean turned to look out one of the windows of the castle library with an unreadable expression. "I hate sitting in classes, going on with my life, knowing that out there somewhere, that _bastard_ is planning to attack another one of my friends, family…or even _me_. I'm of age, but I promised my mother I would stay here until it was absolutely necessary for me to help."

"Feels like we're in limbo." Ginny exhaled. "I'm almost desperate to do something!"

"Now don't you go running off trying to play hero, Ginny. We need you here. You are the life of this school now, whether you like it or not," His dark eyes trained on hers, making Ginny feel slightly uneasy.

"What do you mean?"

"You, your family, and your best friends are all main targets in this war. Your boyfriend is the one who has to face Voldemort in the end, and you can't be with him when he does it…at least for the time being that's what we know," Dean leaned closer and placed his hand on her forearm, "Yet, despite all this, you aren't spending your days sobbing or in solitude, depressed and loathing the world around you. You might feel that way—I know you well enough to realize you aren't entirely happy with the situation others have put you in, but you are giving our classmates what they need. They need to see strength, determination, and hope, and they see that in you."

Her eyes wide, Ginny asked softly, "How do you know this?"

"I can see it by the way people look at you, and I'm also a very good eavesdropper," Dean smirked then added bitterly, "Now I'm going to go read a quidditch magazine, though it seems in vain considering the year embargo McGonagall put on it."

"It's not her fault. I miss it too, but it really wouldn't have been safe to have all those people in one spot," Ginny replied, still dwelling on his earlier comment.

"I know." Dean shook his head solemnly, waved, and exited the library.

She should be happy to hear that people were counting on her, but, in a way, she felt worse. She had always prided herself on living truthfully no matter the circumstance, yet here she was, living a lie and fooling everyone.

Ginny sighed again. How could she have been so naïve to believe that the atmosphere at Hogwarts would not reflect the world outside?

Other people might trust in her, but she was seriously starting to doubt her own judgment. Since she was eleven years old, she had been gradually building a wall guarding her heart from the harsh consequences of the world. So many she had thought so highly of had let her down. At first she had been angry, filled with a resolute rage that the Order, Harry, Ron, and even Hermione continued to leave her out of the loop. As the summer progressed, however, her rage had subsided into somberness, then severe disappointment in all those she had once trusted. Not that she had necessarily lost trust in all the people around her.

Tom Riddle. Oh, how she had adored him. He had been a good friend; someone she had leaned on and confided in. Too bad, her honesty and openness had almost caused hers and Harry's death. Tom had turned on her the very second he had the chance. She was only a silly little girl to him after all.

Her brother, Percy, and his estrangement from the family. His persistent denial of Voldemort's return.

Her mother and father forcing her back into this hellhole in order to keep her from the truth. She knew that her involvement in this war was inevitable, yet her parents refused to see that she had grown up and that she had her own part to play like they had in the first war. Ginny strongly believed in omens and signs. She feared that from reading history and the signs that appeared everyday around her, she would play an even bigger part than she had ever anticipated.

Harry. While she had given Tom Riddle her mind, she had saved her heart for Harry, yet he had broken up with her to save her. He had walked away from her, abandoned her. A girl's worst fear is to be abandoned. Though she knew and understood his reasons, she did not agree with him. Ginny had only been with him for a short while, but she had found _herself_ in him. She had found the woman that she had aspired to be her entire life. By separating the two of them, he was refusing to let her be _Ginny_.

If she had been given the chance she would have been by Harry's side. Though he had taken off after Bill's wedding without a goodbye, Ginny understood this gesture more than the breakup. She wasn't fond of goodbye's either.

Everyone was suppressing Ginny from being who she was meant to be. If only they would stop treating her like a child. In other cultures, a 16 year old was considered an adult. Hell, barely a hundred years before, 16 was considered an adult in her _own_ country.

146 days until she was "of age." She found it ridiculous that they had labeled the age where a wizard or witch became an adult. Ginny believed it was different for each individual. She considered herself old enough to make her own decisions. Then again, maturity does not come with _only_ the number of years you had been alive, it comes with experience and one's environment. She had lost her childhood years ago because of this war. It wasn't until she began to understand the concept of what was going on around her that she truly transformed into an adult.

Professor Snape was the perfect example of maturity being noncompliant with age. Observations she'd made proved this. While Snape was considerably older, in certain situations, he was as immature as Harry had been in his 5th year throwing all those fits. Snape refused to move on from his childhood hatred of James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew, and therefore remained jaded and immature in Ginny's eyes.

709 days until she graduated from this prison—if she had the chance to graduate at all. It was no secret that the Weasleys were primary targets. Not only were they sociable to _the_ Harry James Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived, they were blood-traitors as well. Friend of the muggles.

Ginny looked down at her notes. Instead of seeing a list of the fifteen most soluble healing plants that would be easily found in anyone's backyard, she found only three numbers: 21 days that she had been there, 146 days until her birthday on February 16th, and 709 days until she graduated from Hogwarts.

She pushed a red lock behind her ear and sighed, "Oh, _sod it_." The assignment wasn't due for another day anyway.

"Are you _insane_? You're going to get yourself killed, you know." A girl behind Ginny whispered ardently.

Ginny started to turn around to see the owner of the voice but caught herself before her reaction became obvious. The voice sounded familiar, but she couldn't recall where she had heard it before. Slowly, Ginny gathered one of the books she had taken and quietly made her way to the shelves.

After she had safely hidden herself from view, she peered through one of the bookshelves and saw Millicent Bulstrode and Blaise Zabini. Blaise had given her the creeps since the day they had met in Slughorn's compartment on the train.

"Could you be any louder, Millicent? You do realize this is a public library, not one of your father's studies." Blaise's eyes flashed. "I realize the dangers, but we have to get Draco out. The Dark Lord is going to _kill_ him if we don't."

Ginny's eyebrows shot up. They were going to try to break Draco Malfoy out of Death Eater jail? Draco was imprisoned? She had guessed that he would be considering he had failed to kill Dumbledore, but the fate of the Draco—Famous Blond Bimbo—Malfoy (as she liked to call him) had slipped her mind after Harry had broken up with her.

"I didn't think you were so loyal to Draco, Blaise." Millicent countered, folding her arms in distaste of the idea. "I don't fancy getting my arse blown up for the sake of _Draco Malfoy_."

"You _won't_ get your "arse blown off" as you so eloquently put," Blaise paused, "You can always say you were under the Imperious Curse."

"Lie to the _Dark Lord?_ You _are_ barking mad!" Millicent exclaimed.

Blaise quickly covered her mouth with his large hand, "If you don't shut up, I _will_ curse you until you can no longer remember your middle name."

Ginny almost snorted. Slytherins…always the loquacious ones.

Blaise slowly took his hand away from Millicent's face and began pacing. "You know that Draco isn't a Death Eater. He only took that mission to save his father and his mother's life. I respect that."

"I never realized that. I'm sorry. When did you and Malfoy start seeing eye to eye?" Millicent questioned warily. Ginny wondered the same; she had rarely seen the two of them together.

"We always have, really. A few months before he took the mission, he and I had had a conversation about our loyalties since both of our families are heavily involved with Lord Voldemort. We both were suspicious of the power Voldemort possessed. If Harry Potter was able to destroy him as a _baby_, what was he missing? _Why_ should we serve him? _What _is so great about him? We've always been taught to be the most powerful that we can be. By submitting ourselves to his authority, we are going against everything we believe in. Plus, this whole purification of the wizarding race is completely barmy. It would be the death of us."

"You mean you actually _approve_ of breeding with Muggles?" Ginny couldn't see Millicent's facial reaction because the girl had turned her back to the bookshelf that hid Ginny.

"Breeding? What a beautiful way to put it. You make us sound like merely animals and not intelligent beings," Blaise scoffed. "Muggles are made of the same substance that _we_ are. They have so much potential when their magical abilities are noticed; take a look at Hermione Granger for instance."

Ginny had heard enough. In a daze, she ambled innocently back to her seat at the table she had occupied moments before the disturbing conversation. Blaise and Draco were _not_ serving Voldemort? The concept was unbelievable, even for Ginny whose best friend, Luna Lovegood, was the epitome of far-fetched.

As if thinking of her had sent some kind of beacon, Luna appeared before Ginny suddenly. "Hello, Ginny."

Ginny replied with a, "You have _no_ idea what I just heard!"

"The cry of a fickan chiclets?" Luna looked behind her. "I wonder what they are talking about?"

Ginny finally allowed herself to turn around. "I have an idea, but you won't believe it. Draco is imprisoned, and they are devising a plan to break him out. Did you know that Draco and Blaise aren't Death Eaters? Blaise even said he likes Muggles!"

Luna looked indifferent as she sat down across from her friend. "I have always known that Blaise never took a part in Moldy Voldy's business."

"But how?" Ginny rested her chin in the palm of her hand. The blonde narrowed her large eyes to study the male behind Ginny.

"In the past, I have only seen him with three Slytherins: Draco, Millicent, and the handsome one, Vermont."

"Doesn't he have dark brown hair and really, really blue eyes?"

Luna nodded and continued her analysis, "Anyway, Blaise has friends in every house…save Gryffindor. We sat at the same table at Three Broomsticks a couple years ago when he was dating Amelia Lein. He's very sociable and very intelligent. I suppose he is too smart to fall for Voldemort's propaganda."

"It's still amazing that Draco and Blaise are on our side. And by on our side, I mean not serving Voldemort…I don't think they would be too happy to say that they agree with Harry Potter." Ginny looked at the two arguing Slytherins again. This time, Blaise noticed her inquiry and shot her a fierce look. Ginny quickly turned her eyes back towards Luna.

Luna shrugged. "Not everything is as it seems."

"And that is why we are friends, Luna." Ginny proclaimed. "When I am blind, you are my eyes."

"And when all turn against me, you are my strength." The girls shared a small smile.

Luna was the first to break the silence, "Do you think they will need help?"

"What do you mean?" Ginny responded immediately, startled by the question.

"Well, I doubt they have a ton of supporters that they can turn to with this idea." Luna shrugged again.

Ginny bit her lip and wrote down two words on the paper before her: yes, no. If they helped, they could get themselves into a lot of trouble. A voice that sounded a bit too much like her mother protested, _You promised to behave at Hogwarts this year! You are too young to get yourself mixed up in this mess._

Was this a good idea? She shook her head to clear her mind and look deep into her own heart. Nothing was sending off warning bells. Though she had qualms about her own judgment, Luna was rarely wrong about people. Besides, she had heard La Confession de Blaise with her own ears.

She wanted to help out as many people as she could during these times. Hadn't the hat expressed the need for unity as well? There were so many reasons pointing to yes. If Draco needed her help, she couldn't let her pride or prejudice against him keep her from jumping to his aid.

What would Harry, Ron, or Hermione think? Harry would be devastated that she had put herself in danger. She loved the guy, but he needed to understand that she had to make her own choices, not let everyone run her life for her. Ron…he would kill her for helping Malfoy. _Sod him. He's too prejudiced anyway._ Hermione might be the most understanding…then again, she had a special hatred for Malfoy that only a scorned woman could have. If only the boy had called her mudblood one less time (or not at all, but that would be impossible considering his pureblood ego—perhaps it was only a persona now. Ginny found this new Malfoy a bit confusing.)

She had wanted to _do_ something, but Ginny had refused to go _looking_ for something. She'd read too many books to do that. She knew that that would only bring more trouble than necessary.

Finally she answered, her eyes dancing, "It's not like we have much to do around here anyway. How are we going to bring it up?"

A mischievous glint blazed in her companion's eyes. "Looks like we have company."

Ginny turned around in her seat to find Blaise and Millicent standing just feet away. "What were you staring at, Red?"

"Red?" Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Since when are we on nickname basis, Squints?"

Blaise's eyes narrowed even more. "You were listening to our conversation weren't you?"

"From all the way over here?" Ginny replied sweetly, knowing it would piss him off. Even if she was going to offer her help, she was _not_ going to let him walk all over her.

"I felt a presence nearby earlier. Then you appeared here." Blaise folded his arms, mimicking Millicent's posture.

Ginny looked at the girl, then back at Blaise. She sighed, "Okay, I did overhear part of your conversation."

"It was private! That's eavesdropping," Millicent declared.

"It's a public library. Maybe you shouldn't speak of such private matters where someone is likely to listen in," Ginny offered sarcastically. "I only started listening after I heard you so articulately state that Blaise was going to get himself killed."

"You know about everything then?" Blaise quizzed her. Surprisingly, he didn't seem nearly as agitated as Ginny thought he might when he discovered her eavesdropping.

"Just that you want to break Draco out of jail. Don't worry; my lips are sealed. In fact, Luna and I want to help you." Ginny glanced at her friend who nodded enthusiastically.

"Help…us?" Millicent repeated skeptically. "Why would we need your help?"

"Because not many will support this idea, and we know how hard it is to contribute your opinion to people these days. Furthermore, we already know the dilemma, and we _want_ to help," Luna explained.

"We could always obliviate you." Blaise reached for his wand, but stopped when Ginny had already pulled hers out.

"I don't think so. I'm no Dumbledore, but I am an excellent dueler." Ginny stated firmly.

"I believe it. I've seen your hexes," Blaise slipped his wand back into his pocket and gave her a sly grin.

"So, will you accept our help?" Ginny asked, returning the grin as the memory of Malfoy's squeals of terror caused by the bats erupting from his nose ran through her head.

"_Why_ do you want to help us?" Blaise asked. "We know why we _need_ the help, but why are you so willing to help a couple of Slytherins. We've never gotten along."

"Sometimes we need to set aside our own pride to do what is right. If what you say about Draco is true…that he is no Death Eater and he was only trying to protect his family, a very respectable and understandable thing to do, then I am willing to help you. If Luna and I help you, we will be following the advice that Dumbledore gave us long before his death. We need to set aside our differences in order to overcome Voldemort. The monster needs to be put in his place." Ginny breathed and added, "_Hell_."

"I've always liked your spirit, Ginevra." Blaise admitted, leaning on one leg.

"Please, call me Ginny." Ginny held out her hand.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Ginny Weasley," Blaise shook the extended hand and nodded.

Millicent raised her hand a bit and said, "I have a question. There still is the matter of lack of people. We still only have five people."

"Who's the fifth?" Ginny raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Vermont. His family lives in America, so they've never been involved with Voldemort. He transferred from Glenwood Academy second year," Millicent explained. "Anyway, back to the current issue at hand. Five people are not nearly enough to break into the Dark Lord's dungeons."

"Five people stopped Death Eaters from getting their hands on a prophecy about Harry and Voldemort a year and a half ago," Ginny objected.

"Yes, but you were only breaking into the Ministry. That's hardly a difficult task. We're talking about wards and curses the Ministry doesn't know if, and if they did they would never be able to cast them. The Dark Lord—"

Ginny cut Blaise off before he had the chance to finish his sentence, "Yes, I know Voldemort has an enormous amount of power. Even as a teenager he was more powerful than any other wizard save Dumbledore."

"So it's true then? You shared your mind with Lord Voldemort for an entire year?" Blaise sounded in awe of even the idea of the rumors being fact.

"In a way, I shared my mind. Although, I do like to say he possessed me considering I can only remember about half the year if you combine all the times I had blackouts," Ginny shuddered at the memory. "I don't really talk about it though."

"What was it like?" Millicent asked quietly.

Normally Ginny would have shot a person who asked her that down. She hated talking about Tom Riddle. Seeing her face stopped her from spitting out a rebuke. Millicent looked so…interested, but not because she wanted to _know_, but because Millicent actually looked considerate…as if she had experience in the matter.

"Honestly? Not many people can truthfully say 'That was the worst day of my life,' but I could say that everyday and remain as truthful as ever my first year. I hate that I lost control of my life, and that I was a stupid, littler girl." Ginny looked away from the stares of her new acquaintances.

She wasn't comfortable talking about the nightmares she had for years after the experience and the times she had to sleep in her parents' bed, nor was she at ease with sharing how she still felt guilty about almost killing those who were petrified…She had almost killed_ Hermione_. Voldemort had almost gone public again because of _her_.

"It seems to me, that all five of us have gone through some terrible experiences then." Blaise crossed his arms with a sly grin.

"What do you mean?" Ginny raised an eyebrow.

"My father let Voldemort use my mother to lure unsuspecting victims in their traps during the first war. She's in apothecary and has both wizard and muggle customers. She was under the Imperius curse or possessed—I never found out. I suspect they are about the same considering you have no control over your actions," Millicent shrugged.

For the first time Ginny understood Millicent Bulstrode. She had mistaken the hardened green eyes for hatred all these years, but it was only a defense mechanism to keep the weight of her past from catching up with her. If Ginny truly looked at the brunette before her, she could see that the girl was just as tired as she was.

"I refused to pledge my allegiance to last year. I'm cut off from my inheritance, home, and my sister." Blaise said. "That was _after_ they kicked me out. Before was much worse. Imagine being a prisoner inside your own home."

Ginny nodded, able to identify with the feeling, although she doubted her imprisonment at Grimmauld had been _nearly_ as dreadful as being trapped in a Death Eater's home. She shuddered to think about what they had done to him. She had seen through Tom's imagination what he would do to traitors; families frightened of his wrath most likely wouldn't react much differently in order to avoid confrontation.

She looked at Luna, who seemed deep in contemplation. Ginny knew of the hardships that the girl before her had suffered and admired her strength. She had witnessed her mother's death, and almost every day she was bullied for being brave enough to stand out and to be different. Luna was reliably herself, and she was punished for it.

"Seems like fate that we would come together?" Luna smiled then giggled. "Maybe divination isn't codswallop."

Ginny burst out laughing, Blaise and Millicent following soon after.

Luna didn't seem to understand why the three were laughing at her comment. "What? Maybe it isn't!"

"No, Luna, it's just that you are _always_ the first one to believe in something. It's just funny to hear you indicate that you thought divination was bullocks. That's all, really," Ginny explained as her laughter subsided.

The blonde smiled, "I suppose it is rather humorous, but I'll have you know that fickan's are _real_, Ginny! Just last month one was spotted in Cuba."

This statement caused another round of laughter from Luna's audience, but the unlikely quartet was quickly reprimanded by Madame Pince. "This is a _library_! If you four don't start behaving yourselves, I'll be forced to turn you over to Mr. Filch."

"Sorry, Madame Pince. We'll be quiet," Ginny giggled. Madame Pince's harsh glare relaxed as she noticed the true happiness on the faces of the four students. Ginny had to agree with her reaction; it was a nice change listening to laughter, or in her own case having an actual laugh, rather than being around the gloominess that had spread throughout the school 24/7.

After the librarian had wandered back to her front desk, the foursome turned to each other with the same serious expressions adorned on their faces.

"The walls have ears," Luna murmured simply.

"She's right. We can't continue this conversation here. We have to find someplace else to talk about this," Millicent tapped her fingers on the table in front of her. "But where?"

Each of them turned to their own thoughts; Ginny racked her brain, trying to find a memory of a secret place that no one knew about, but she couldn't think of anything. Where would no one suspect to look? Where was a place, no one would even _think_ they would go to? Was there a place that the four of them could easily slip into without getting caught?

"What about the room of requirements?" Blaise inquired. "Didn't you use that for your Dumbledore's Army?"

"If that's what you'd like to call it," Ginny shrugged and nodded.

"The Room of Requirements is very popular now. I've seen quite a few couples use it for personal needs this year already," Luna stated airily.

"She's right. Everyone's familiar with it now," Ginny bit her lip, still finding drawing a blank.

_Wait a minute._ A blank. A _blank_.

"The Chamber of Secrets." Ginny whispered suddenly.

"Sorry?" Millicent leaned forward and knitted her brow. "Didn't catch that."

"Why don't we meet in the Chamber of Secrets? Think about it. _No one_ thinks about it now that it's been a few years. _No one_ knows where it is. People won't expect it—definitely not Voldemort. Besides, he can't get anywhere near it unless he's found some underground tunnel or entryway, which I highly doubt. Tom Riddle hadn't found anything, otherwise he would have told me while he was boasting about his "discoveries" of the place." The idea excited Ginny the more she thought about it.

"Won't that bring on some dark memories for you?" Blaise raised an eyebrow, but seemed intrigued.

"I…well, probably, but I can deal with them. I've been living with my memories for six years now," Ginny gave him a half smile. "It's settled, then?"

Luna nodded while Millicent and Blaise glanced at each other. Blaise gave a shortnod,and Ginny smiled. "Let's meet in the deserted girls' bathroom…you know, Moaning Myrtle's humble abode tomorrow after dinner. It'd be easier to get away while everyone's dispersing to their common rooms."

"Sounds like a plan," Blaise looked a this watch. "We need to get going. Vermont should be done with his detention by now. We'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye," Luna and Ginny said simultaneously as Millicent and Blaise exited the library.

Ginny watched them until they turned out of sight and glanced around the room. The library was as empty as ever. Slowly, her eyes expressing disbelief, she turned to Luna who seemed to be lost in thought as well…not that that was different than any other occasion. The Sorting Hat had suggested the houses unite together, but she had never imagined _this_.

"Well, this is going to be an interesting year," Ginny commented lightly and blew a lock of hair out off her face. Not that what they were planning was not serious—she just didn't know how to comment on the situation in any other way. In a slightly amazed tone Ginny asked, "Did we just have a normal conversation with Slytherins?"

"Depends on what you define as normal. If planning to break Draco Malfoy out of Voldemort's dungeons is normal, then yes, we just had a normal conversation with Slytherins," Luna shrugged, then added, "And, Ginny…do you _really_ not believe in fickans?"


End file.
